Discovering Nature

The joy of discovery, a journey through land, sky and sea, along hidden paths where the perfumes enhance every view and your eyesight revels in the endless beauty of the landscape.

Discovering Nature

The joy of discovery, a journey through land, sky and sea, along hidden paths where the perfumes enhance every view and your eyesight revels in the endless beauty of the landscape.

BOATING THROUGH THE GROTTOS

One of the most gorgeous and sought after beauties of Salento are the many marine karst grottos along the coast of Santa Maria di Leuca. Amongst these, on the Adriatic side, is the sublime Grotta della Vora (also known as the Cathedral Grotto due to its sheer height and depth). The circular opening at its apex allows rays of sunlight to penetrate deep into the cave and colour its walls. Another spectacularly beautiful cave is the Grotta del Laghetto, which can be visited by taking a short walk down a path to a natural bay of sweet, cold water. On the western side, the Grotta del Fiume is well worth a visit and can be reached by boat or by swimming, if the sea is calm. It is 20 metres wide and 30 metres deep and hosts various fresh water springs.

Follow the sun on this adventure. The eastern coast grottos are spectacular in the morning sunglight, while the western grottos come alive with the light of the sunset.

PARKS – A NATURAL TREASURE

When your vacation in Puglia is truly “luxurious”

Nestled between Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca, south of Ugento and Vivosa Apulia Resort, the Parco Costa Otranto – Santa Maria di Leuca e Bosco di Tricase extends over 3000 hectares and offers a spectacular view of the majestic sea and the rocky coast’s bays and grottos. At Tricase, instead, the woods reclaim the landscape.

From Leuca, moving northwards, the Parco naturale Litorale di Ugentocovers 808 hectares of the coastline and embraces our resort. From Lido Marini to Torre San Giovanni, the coastline presents a long paradise of low and sinuous sand dunes that evoke distant lands until, in Pazze, the landscape turns low and rocky.

Further north, the woods to the south of Gallipoli are part of the Parco naturale regionale Isola di Sant’Andrea– Litorale di Punta Pizzo. This island, which is just 4.5 km wide, lies below sea level and is completely covered by the sea in the winter. To the southwest, a renovated lighthouse stands out, as a unique, solitary presence.

THE “CIOLO” PATH

“You must be as agile a gymnast as a squirrel to admire the beautiful deep gullies of the Ciolo.” (Cosimo De Giorgi)

To fully enjoy the bountiful nature of Salento during your anti-stress vacation at Vivosa Apulia Resort, we recommend you walk along this beautiful path, amidst land and sea, which provides breath-taking views. Leaving Gagliano del Capo, right after the chapel dedicated to the Madonna di Leuca, you will find yourself on the “Tratturo delCiolo.” The path is marked by wooden posts that will keep you safe as you admire the sheer height of the landscape. All you can see is sea and sky, wind-trodden rocky coasts, snuggly rooted trees, bluebells and fleur-de-lis. The strong wind tempers the heat carrying perfumes and the salty essence of the sea. You can even run into “pajaras” built in stone with no mortar by farmers – a silent witness to the relation between man and nature. The Ciolo Beach, a small bay with a beautiful stone bridge, lies at the end of this walk suspended amidst land and sky.

CANALS AND FRESHWATER TOUR

We are so grateful for the beauty in which Vivosa Apulia Resort is immersed that we recommend you take a walk around the resort to discover the secrets of the ancient settlers who lived in this corner of Salento and its wild, verdant vegetation. The Parco Naturale Litorale di Ugento is a treasure chest of natural and historical gems and enchanted sights that deserve a visit.

If you like cycling, you can ride along the many freshwater canals: it’s a great cycle route without any steep inclines that extends for about eight kilometres. Or you can visit the ponds behind the resort that were developed to drain the Ugento swamps. It’s a liquid world shrouded by canes that extends for seven kilometres and will allow you to cycle in silence, enjoy birdwatching and bathe in nature, in one of the most beautiful resorts in Salento.

SEE ALSO

Discovering Puglia through its produce – grapes and wine, olives and oil, the intense yellow of its wheat – all of which have been cultivated since antiquity. It’s a journey through time and the five senses.

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